New 300 MW CCGT power project proposed in Richards Bay (South Africa)

The Mhlathuze Energy consortium, consisting of Phinda Power (Newlyn Group), Marubeni and Golar Power, has submitted plans for a new CCGT power plant to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) of South Africa, offering to develop a 300 MW emergency power plant in Richards Bay within 12 months of financial close. The power plant's capacity could be raised to up to 1,200 MW within 36 months of financial close. The project would include a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) and new LNG marine import infrastructure. Richards Bay had been identified as a possible location for FSRUs, along with Saldanha Bay and Coega, thanks to the connection of the Richards Bay port to the existing gas pipeline.

In December 2019, the DMRE released a request for information (RFI) outlining plans for adding 300 to 3,300 MW of new power generation capacity within 12 to 36 months at the least possible cost. Projects under the Risk Mitigation Power Purchase Programme must be able to connect at intervals of between 3 to 6 months and 6 to 12 months, from issuance of the notice to proceed. The plan intends to fill the current short-term supply, to alleviate the current electricity supply constraints. According to the Integrated Resource Plan until 2030, published in October 2030, there is a short-term supply gap of approximately 2 GW. This figure has recently been updated by South African power utility Eskom to about 3 GW.